Sec. 8-53.3.Communications
between psychologist and client or patient.

No
person, duly authorized as a licensed psychologist or licensed psychological
associate, nor any of his or her employees or associates, shall be required to
disclose any information which he or she may have acquired in the practice of
psychology and which information was necessary to enable him or her to practice
psychology.Any resident or
presiding judge in the district in which the action is pending may, subject to
G.S. 8-53.6, compel disclosure, either at the trial or prior thereto, if in his
or her opinion disclosure is necessary to a proper administration of justice.If the case is in district court the judge shall be a district court
judge, and if the case is in superior court the judge shall be a superior court
judge.

Notwithstanding
the provisions of this section, the psychologist-client or patient privilege
shall not be grounds for failure to report suspected child abuse or neglect to
the appropriate county department of social services, or for failure to report a
disabled adult suspected to be in need of protective services to the appropriate
county department of social services.Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the
psychologist-client or patient privilege shall not be grounds for excluding
evidence regarding the abuse or neglect of a child, or an illness of or injuries
to a child, or the cause thereof, or for excluding evidence regarding the abuse,
neglect, or exploitation of a disabled adult, or an illness of or injuries to a
disabled adult, or the cause thereof, in any judicial proceeding related to a
report pursuant to the child Abuse Reporting Law, Article 3 of Chapter 7B, or to
the Protection of the Abused, Neglected, or Exploited Disabled Adult Act,
Article 6 of Chapter 108A of the General Statutes.

Sec. 8-53.6.No
disclosure in alimony and divorce actions.

In
an action pursuant to G.S. 50-5.1, 50-6, 50-7, 50-16.2A and 50-16.3A if either
or both of the parties have sought and obtained marital counseling by a licensed
physician, licensed psychologist, licensed psychological associate, licensed
clinical social worker, or licensed marriage and family therapist, the person or
persons rendering such counseling shall not be competent to testify in the
action concerning information acquired while rendering such counseling.